Dream and sleep are for the same person as waking. You are the witness of both – they pass before you. Because you are out of meditation now, such questions arise.

What happens to the consciousness of a Realized one in sleep? Such a question arises only in the minds of unrealized beholders. He has but ONE state, which is unbroken throughout 24 hours, whether in what you call sleeping or waking. As a matter of fact the majority of people are all asleep, because they are not awake to the Self.

In the deep sleep state we lay down our ego (ahankara), our thoughts and desires. If we could only do all this while we are conscious, we would realize the Self.

The best form of dhyana or meditation is when it continues not merely in waking but extends to dream and deep sleep states. The meditation must be so intense as to not even give room for the consciousness of the idea ‘I am meditating’. As waking and dreaming are fully occupied by the dhyana of such a person, deep sleep may be considered to be part of the dhyana.